Paper bag fee may be dropped less than a year after officials imposed surcharge – but not everyone is happy
A Mid-Atlantic county’s January 1 PAPER bag tax might soon be lifted.
There is a lot of discussion among county leaders about the Maryland bill that would eliminate the 10-cent paper bags.
According to a local source, the bill will be discussed at a public hearing held by the Anne Arundel County Council, which encompasses places such as Annapolis and Maryland, on Monday.
If the bill is approved, the county’s law restricting the use of plastic bags, which went into effect on January 1, would no longer require a paper bag cost.
The plan, which was introduced by Crofton Republican Shannon Leadbetter, would also eliminate fines for shops who do not collect fees for reusable and paper carryout bags.
Although it would still be an option, businesses would no longer be compelled to charge for the bags.
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Maryland’s Anti-Plastic Bags Law
On January 1, the Anne Arundel County Bring-Your-Own-Bag Act went into force, making it illegal for businesses in the county to provide customers with plastic bags.
The law mandated that stores provide reusable or paper bags instead.
The bill’s requirement that companies charge 10 cents every paper bag went into effect in February 2024.
Prior to the Bring-Your-Own-Bag Act, just 15% of shoppers either didn’t have a bag or utilized reusable bags.
More than 70% of consumers use reusable bags or don’t use any bags at all after the act was passed in January.
FEE FIGHT
Anne Arundel County officials had different opinions about the bill.
Although he acknowledged the intention behind the legislation, Ethan Hunt, the county’s director of government affairs, contended that eliminating the bag cost may encourage citizens to use more paper bags.
They will simply switch to paper bags if the line item isn’t on the receipt, which have a greater environmental impact per bag than even plastic bags. “I believe that cost will still be passed on to the consumer,” he said.
The bill’s opponents concur, pointing out the high cost of single-use paper bags.
They argue that when retailers provide them free at checkout the cost is passed on to all customers through higher prices, impacting shoppers who bring their own bags or don t take one.
Those who support the bill and the removal of the 10-cent fee attribute the surcharge’s detrimental effects on locals.
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The price was designed to change customer behavior, and it has done so, according to council member Amanda Fiedler, a Republican from Arnold who is co-sponsoring the bill.
She contended that the tax is now driving up the costs for the county’s senior citizens who are unable to shop in person and use paper-bagged grocery delivery services.
Fiedler stated that since it’s delivery, they are unable to bring their own. They’re kind of stuck and have a limited budget because they can’t order the grocery store [to] bring it in a package.
Nathan Volke, a Republican council member from Pasadena who is also a co-sponsor of the initiative, has received similar complaints regarding the bag fee.
He cited the significant increase in customers bringing their own bags and the time it has taken for retailers to implement surcharges for paper bags.
In light of that, I believe it is sense to declare that we have achieved the desired behavior change at this point. “Let’s remove that fee and see if we continue to have that,” he added. Given that humans have adapted, I believe we will.
Annapolis Democrat Lisa Rodvien, a council member, intends to oppose the bill.
There has been a shift in behavior, but she stated, “I don’t understand why we would expect not to have additional behavior change if we change the law.”
After that, we’ll be encouraging people to simply accept the complimentary paper bags and not be as careful to remember to bring their own reusable bags.
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